Flying high as applications increase

China's manufacturers target global market with agriculture- and industry-specific drones

Ehang Inc, a Chinese drone maker, created a flutter at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January with its latest product, the world's first drone capable of carrying a human passenger.

The world sat up and took notice that manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs - drones in common parlance - is now the forte of Chinese companies, never mind China Inc lags in aircraft-making capability.